Frérin Durin · @DurinUncle
27th Feb 2015 from TwitLonger
Stone-verse: Uncle and Nephew Talk.
After http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sksjur
Thirán and Kíli talk
@DurinUncle @Valandhir
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Kíli
Kíli slipped through the trapdoor, carrying a last bundle of blankets and two bear furs. The cellar quarter was shaping up nicely, to be a comfortable place and for dwarves being underground was not a problem. He had been asked by the quartermaster and by Baranor if he was not being overly mean to his new helpers, with both cases it had helped reminding them, that Kíli stayed in the Undercity back home, because he *wanted* to. It had helped.
Placing the crystal lamp he had been carrying on the floor he laid the blankets and furs down on the bedsteads, looking around for Thirán... Frérin. "One advantage to the cellars of an ancient royal city - they are higher than usual and thus airy." he said with a small smile. "How... how are you settling in?"
Thirán
Thirán gave a thoughtful sound as he took the bedding from Kíli and started laying it out on the beds they had set up. "This is looking good now, I can see a reasonably comfortable winter ahead of us now..." He said with a modest smile on his face. The village back home had had time to build it's comforts, but it had started not too different to this. In fact, he thought, they had less supplies to start with when they found the caves than Kíli could get from the army quartermaster. "I think Anvari has already found something to distract him as well... he wanted to talk a bit with Lady Elennárë."
Kíli
"So I noticed," Kíli replied. "I saw them outside, talking about journeys to the north and the elves of the North in particular. I think Elennárë was pleasantly surprised to find that Anvari spoke some elven - there are not many here who do."
He did not say more, letting it sound like it was just the rare opportunity to practice skills in a rare language. While he did not like lying, he agreed that keeping Elennárë's secret was imperative, he had given his word on this. "Anvari is..." Kíli began, not quite sure how to say it. He did not know Anvari well yet, but... he was family, a family he had never expected to see. "... he's made her laugh already. You got quite the son there."
Thirán
That brought a soft smile to Thirán's lips. "He is one of the things that truly keeps me going. Knowing I have him... seeing him grow up both safe and happy..." He gave a small half-shrug. "We trade with Rivendell some, metal for goods and foodstuffs. Anvari learned everything I knew in smithing by the time he reached forty, and I had the fortune of the good will of Elrond's sons, as they were able to secure him further instruction with one of the elven smiths. The language came as part of those lessons."
Kíli
"Sounds like the twins are still the gracious warriors..." Kíli replied softly, then stepped closer to Thirán, to place a hand on his shoulder. "I cannot begin to imagine what you have been through," he admitted - he had a good idea, in a way he could imagine it all, but he could not imagine to survive so many years of it. "but knowing you are alive, that you are here now, it means a lot to me. I never dreamed I'd have a family again, except maybe for Darghûn and what my heart may find..." He looked at Thirán, the resemblance to Thorin would always be there, but it became more and more comforting instead of painful.
Thirán
Even as he slipped an arm around Kíli Thirán gave him a questioning look. "Darghûn?" He asked in a curious tone. "A very dwarven name, by the sounds of it." It did not go past his attention the likening this Darghûn to family either.
Kíli
Kíli guided them to sit down by the tripod, the flame flickering warmly, it was more comfortable to be close to the fire. "After Erebor... when Glóin let slip what had happened to me in Goblin Town... I had to leave rather swiftly. It was winter and my injuries were only half healed. I cannot remember all of the journey south, to this day I cannot even tell when my *hunter* first showed up. Maybe I imagined him at first, maybe he was still a feverish imagination when I crossed the marshes, I do not know. But eventually I realized that I had someone on my trail, someone who tried to kill me. I hoped to shake him off, when I crossed into Gondor's territory, their patrols are usually quite efficient... but he was good and hunted me, all the way into the White Mountains."
Kíli had never told anyone in detail of his journey south, usually he left it at 'Had to leave and went south'. But with Thirán it was so easy to open up, to allow himself to remember the wounded and weak dwarf he had been that winter. "One night he hit my camp and landed two arrow hits, I made it away into the dark and into a ravine... eventually I collapsed in a gap in the rock-face, never knowing I had stumbled across the gates of the hidden Kingdom. Their guards got me to a healer and their King dispatched his guards to find my hunter. When I woke again, I was still in the healer's halls, and a kindly looking older dwarf sat beside me. He had comforted be during my nightmares. 'No fears, laddie' he said. 'Whatever was after you, my guards are hunting it down. You are safe here.'
Kíli smiled warmly, remembering that day. "Darghûn... I only later learned that he had been called up to the gate because any stranger entering the Hidden Kingdom needs permission."
Thirán
Hearing that their people had gone as far as to send a hunter after Kíli to kill him made Thirán tighten his hold around his nephew. He could so easily have also lost Kíli and not known the people they were born to were the ones responsible. Thirán even recognised the name of Glóin, a cousin of the royal family who he remembered as an over-eager boy who was ready to dive into battle despite being even younger than Thirán had been.
"If he was the one called about your appearance, the one to decide whether to take you in... he must have been important in the Hidden Kingdom." Tales of Tiórvi's haven still existed in Erebor, though by then they had been considered questionable at best, as Durin's Folk had lost contact with the kingdom of the White Mountains after being forced to flee Khazad-dûm with only a second son as the surviving heir to the throne.
Kíli
There was something in the way Thirán spoke, his voice, that made Kíli feel at home, but even more was the embrace. He slung an arm around Thirán returning the gesture. "You could say that - he is the current ruler of the Hidden Kingdom, of Tiórvi's line. But what is more, he is a gruff, kind-hearted old dwarrow. Agráz, the guard captain who was on duty that night, told me later that he got an earful about "Knowing the rules and understanding the rules, means also to know when to break the rules." because he had asked first and not brought me to a healer straight away and gotten permission after."
Thirán
That brought up a snort of laughter, hearing that. "Well even if the captain stumbled a bit there, they took you in and you healed, for which I am immensely grateful to them." Thirán said as he let himself enjoy holding Kíli. "I would like a chance to meet them, Darghûn and his people, though I did promise Thórálfr I would return home eventually, and I do not want to break a promise to him, or leave my people totally without me either."
Kíli
Kíli's heart skipped a little, quite selfishly he did not like the idea of his family returning to the North. Much as he had liked Eriador, he knew how hard life was up there. He turned a little to look at Thirán. "Darghûn does not hold with the entire being shamed nonsense. When I first brought it up, he was quite outspoken about the issue and asked me who I'd think went after all the captives inside Mordor after the last great war was over. It seems Tiórvi did a little more than just founding a new kingdom." He knew he was trailing off course, because he was not sure how to broach the subject. "What I mean to say is, I know that Darghûn would welcome our people into the Hidden Kingdom. He once said to me, that he wished his father had done that, when our people first went wandering the world. I will have to go back there in late winter anyway, and... we both could talk to him. You could see for yourself." It would be a safer home for the survivors, not entirely away from all danger but much safer than Eriador was in the good summer.
Thirán
That was a thought that brought up a mix of hopeful eagerness and trepidation in Thirán. Hope for the Lost being able to return to their people and be accepted, and trepidation on the idea of how much work it would be for them to leave the settlement they had already built and make the trek south.
"That... is a thought to keep in mind." He started, keeping his words measured. "I like the idea, to be able to find a place withe more of our own people, and away from the orcs up north, that would be truly ideal, but at the same time I know my people will find it hard to believe at first, and the journey will not be an easy thing either."
Kíli
"Then we'll have to see what help we can find for them." Kíli replied. "to make the journey easier. I know - it is never safe to journey through Dunland and along the Mountains. Never was and never will be, but we'll think of something." He had a few thoughts of his own, but decided not to say, until he knew more. He had made his own contacts throughout the years and owed a few favours here and there that might be useful now. But he'd have to find out if they actually were. He looked at Thirán again. "I know it is selfish on my part to say it, but I do want my family here, in the South. For I will never return North, no matter what happens. And now that I know you are alive, you have a family..." his voice trailed off.
Thirán
"They're your family too now, even Thórálfr will not disagree with that." Thirán said, wanting to reassure Kíli that he had every right to claim the Lost as his own as well. "I suppose that once winter is done and mine and Anvari's first term of service is over, we can go to the Hidden Kingdom, and then head north to my folk and let them know. Perhaps the Dúnedain could take over the village, it would be somewhere a bit more fortified than most of their villages..." That though brought a grin to Thirán's face. "Thórálfr apparently had words with their chieftain about how they guard their settlements, last time he was in Rivendell."
Kíli
"You seem to be on better terms with them than we were," Kíli replied, but then went to another topic. "so... Thórálfr, he is your partner?" He asked with obvious curiosity, wanting to know more about his Uncle's mate. "You said earlier that he was the defender of your settlement... and what you just said makes him sound just like that." He could not begin to guess who Thórálfr might have been in that life before, and it was not important. Important was, that he now belonged with Thirán and Anvari.
Thirán
"He was one of the troops from Azanulbizar who I knew right through our time captive." Thirán started, glad to have an ear he could truly speak of those close to him, to. "He more or less appointed himself my personal bodyguard as soon as he realised one of the captives was a prince, even to the point of suffering through a few beatings because some orc did not listen to the commands of the Eastern Men who were based in Moria, and wanted to play with the smith they had been warned off of."
For a moment he did not speak, as dark memories flashed through his mild, but he picked up again. "He, Berán, and Birna were the three most watchful of the group who escaped, especially when we found that Sokki was pregnant and we had to find somewhere to stay... if the men amongst us were going to bear children, they would have the Deep Stone to go to for their birth." It had been one of the driving issues to finding caves to live in. Thirán did not want to say so aloud, but he had been remembering Kíli in particular back then, and how much a surface dwarf he had been.
"Thórálfr... That started more as a thing of mutual comfort, but he was a friend and a great support, so it continued on and it was just... something we never truly discussed when he and I set up a house together. We cared for each other and we would stay together. He is a grounding influence, even for me. While he can seem pessimistic, he sees the realistic facts of our position and is not shy to speak it... and I do love him for it."
Kíli
Kíli listened there was a great warmth he could hear in the words, though when Frérin spoke of his captivity, of the things that had happened, his hands curled up into fists. While he had noticed the mention of the Eastern Men in Moria, he pushed it away for later. Right now his focus was on Thirán and his story.
"I look forward to meet your Thoralfr one day," he replied when Thirán fell silent. "and... I am glad you found someone, someone who is there for you, who means something." He meant it, having come to understand only recently himself what a heart that had died truly meant. And for all the darkness Thirán went through he deserved someone to hold him, to be there for him. Kíli had considered to speak of his own heart, but realizing that Thirán may have been robbed of ever finding his One, it seemed cruel to speak of his own love, thus he did not go into the topic.
Thirán
"It may be one of the reasons I came through so well, that I had his support." Thirán agreed. "And yes, I would like it that you could meet him some time, but we have the rest of winter before that can happen. I do have some to ask of you, about Anvari." He started, bringing up something that had been on his mind since they had worked together on the load of swords. "I can tell you have had a lot of training in your crafting, and I would hope that you could act as a mentor for Anvari. Aside from seeing him continue to learn, you perhaps have an understanding of the dwarven styles that he could learn. I have taught him as much as I was taught of them, so knowing someone else who might be able to..." He gave a shrug and a look of hopefulness.
Kíli
"Of course." Kíli said at once. "I was lucky where it came to my own training. I'll gladly teach him and..." now he felt a bit shy, because it was the peak of rudeness to point out a lack of knowledge to an older relative, and with Thirán who had been captive for so long it would be doubly so. Still... not offering would be even worse. "you too have the talent. If you wish to, you could pick the one or other trick too." There, he had said it without sounding too arrogant. He did not want to hurt Thirán, or point out failings.
Thirán
Thirán knew he was lacking in training. It was something he had to face being bluntly spoken of when he had sought aid in Rivendell for Anvari. While dwarrow would not point such out - about any craft, not just arcane smithing - the relations between Dwarves and Elves confused the issue.
"I know I did not have a great deal of training before my captivity, so if an older crafter like myself can learn a bit more, I would be glad to accept whatever tricks you may be able to pass on." He spoke in a somewhat measured tone to cover the inner conflict between the traditions of politeness from his youth and the attitude formed after his captivity that discarded much of the traditions that no longer had meaning for him.
Kíli
Kíli could see that his words had tipped exactly on that field of rudeness, and he did not want to make Thirán feel bad, or inferior. What he had come through bespoke more strength than most souls would ever have. He reached for Thirán's shoulder to squeeze it. "Age has nothing to do with it. You are strong, I could feel it when we worked together." He said warmly. "Winter will leave us a bit more time for teaching as well - even our friends across the river dig in and wait the worst weather out usually."
Thirán
The words make Thirán feel a bit better, quieting his mind a bit more. "I imagine it will. I know up in the north only the wild wolves are likely to be out in the deeps of winter. Even the wargs stay close to their dens unless prey are especially scarce." He reached out to meet Kíli's hand. "I am glad to have found you, Stormchild, more than I can put words to at this moment."
Kíli
"And I am glad you found me, Uncle Frérin." Kíli replies, wrapping an arm around him. There is so much to think of, to plan for... but right now he is just glad that Frérin is here.